Immobilization shield



Nov. 4, 1969 R JR" ET AL v 7 3,476,107

IMMOBILIZATION SHIELD Filed Jan. 6, 1967 FIG.2

U u u TTI E w v s .w mEM /A Z Efi 3 fim/w 6 am United States atent O 3,476,107 IMM'OBILIZATION SHIELD Albert R. Matt, Jr., Wethersfield, and Richard M. Steinert, Sonrers, Coun., assignors to Rowland, Products, Incorporated, Kensirigton, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 607,800 Int. Cl. A61f 13/00; A4111 13/00 U.S. Cl. 128133 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shield has a transparent member of non-rectilinear transverse cross-section forming a hollow in one surface and holding means on the other surface of the transparent member. The transparent member is made of a relatively high impact-resistant plastic material, and is used for immobilizing individuals by pressing them in the hollow against some cooperating surface while providing body protection for the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to immobilization devices, and more particularly to a substantially transparent immobilization shield for use in the control and subdual of individuals while providing protection against bodily injury for the user.

In public safety and institutional situations it is frequently necessary to subdue and control unruly, rebellious or violent individuals. It is, of course, highly desirable to do so while exposing the law enforcement 'oifice, guard or custodian to the least possible risk of bodily injury from knives, clubs, hurled missiles, manual blows, thrown acids or other irritants, and the like, which are often employed by persons attempting to avoid arrest or restraint. Methods which are employed to effect such control are generally improvisations, such as the use of blankets and mattresses, which are by and large unsatisfactory because they are unwieldy and heavy and because they fail to provide sufiicient protection for the user.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rugged device which may be used to immobilize and control individuals in an effective and humane manner while providing the maximum in body protection for the user.

It is also an object to provide an immobilization device which is light-weight, highly mobile and readily manipulated, and which is substantially transparent so as to afford the user a substantially unobstructed view even when positioned for use and maximum protection.

Another object is to provide such an immobilization shield which has a very high degree of resistance to impact stresses, has a high degree of transparency with substantial freedom from optical distortion, is easily maintained and may be readily and economically manufactured.

SUM-MARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been found that the foregoing object and other related objects and advantages may be readily attained in an immobilization shield for use by an individual, which includes a substantially transparent member of relatively high impact-resistant synthetic plastic material having a non-rectilinear transverse cross-section with one surface providing a hollow dimensioned to span the torso of a person to be immobilized. Holding means is provided on the other surface of the transparent member for facile manipulation and positioning of the shield.

The transparent member may be formed so as to have a transverse cross-section with a substantially rectilinear 3,475,107 Patented Nov. 4, 1969 center and diverging side portions or a center portion with a large radius of curvature with side portions of smaller radius of curvature. However, the preferred configuration utilizes a smooth are generating a concave-convex transverse configuration. In this manner, it will deflect objects striking it, and impacts and stresses will be more readily distributed through the member so that it will readily withstand the force of hurled objects or blows directed thereagainst.

Although the holding means may be provided by a transverse bar or grips formed adjacent the edges of the transparent member, preferably a pair of transversely spaced, substantially rigid hand grips are disposed to opposite sides of the vertical center line of the shield as used. To facilitate handling and balancing of the shield, the holding means is preferably located adjacent the transverse center line bisecting the vertical center line of the shield in use. In some instances, it may be desirable to provide two sets of holding means or elongated holding means to permit gripping by two users.

Suitable hand grips are preferably fabricated from light weight metals such as aluminum or rugged plastics such as polycarbonate. Most desirably, they have base portions disposed against the surface of the transparent member which facilitate mounting and increase the area of contact so as to minimize concentration of stresses. They may be mounted to the transparent member by any suitable means such as threaded fasteners, rivets and adhesives.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an immobilization shield embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view thereof; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View of the immobilization shield of FIGURE 1 as being used by an operator to immobilize an individual, both of whom are illustrated in phantom line.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The dimensions of the shield are not critical, but they should be such as will adequately confine an individual and provide maximum protection to the user while not being so great as to result in an unduly heavy or cumbersome device. It is preferred to design the shield with a transverse dimension small enough so that it can pass through average-size doorways, but which is nevertheless sufficiently large to cover a major portion of a passageway so as to prevent the escape of an unruly individual from a confining room. Exemplary of suitable dimensions are transparent members having a width or transverse dimension of about 20 to 28 inches and a length or vertical dimension of about 40 to 56 inches.

Although various synthetic plastic materials exhibit relatively high impact resistance such as blends of styrene-acrylonitrile-butadiene, blends of styrene-acrylatebutadiene, and high density polyethylene, polycarbonates have proven especially advantageous for the present invention because of their very high impact strength and highly desirable properties as well as their retention of impact strength even at temperatures below 0 centigrade. Polycarbonate sheet material may be readily thermoformed into simple configurations without producing excessive internal stresses and affords a relatively lightweight member which may be solvent or flame polished to restore substantially its optical clarity after scratching and other minor abrasions. Generally, polycarbonate sheet material employed for this purpose should be about .060.l67 inch in thickness.

The transparent member may be a single thickness of sheet material or it may be a laminate of several layers of the same or dissimilar sheet materials. If so desired, it may include metallic or other inorganic layers which do not unduly reduce visibility. Although various techniques may be used for fabrication of the transparent member into the desired configuration including blow molding and injection molding, thermoforming of sheet material has proven facile, economical and highly advantageous.

Referring now in detail to the attached drawing, the immobilization shield embodying the present invention includes a substantially transparent member generally designated by the numeral 2 which is fabricated from high impact-resistant synthetic plastic sheet material. As can be seen best in FIGURE 2, the generally arcuate transverse cross-section forms a concave outer surface 4 providing a hollow to receive the torso of the person to be immobilized and a convex inner surface "6. A pair of hand grips 8 are fixedly and symmetrically mounted on the convex surface 6 to opposite sides of the vertical or longitudinal center line with a plurality of rivets designated 10 so as to span the horizontal or transverse center line.

As seen in FIGURE 3, to employ the immobilization shield, the user 12 grasps the hand grips 8 and thereby positions the shield in front of his face and upper body. While observing the movements of the person 14 to be controlled, the user 12 endeavors to trap the person 14 with the shield member against the wall 16 or in a corner or against some other suitable surface.

Accordingly ,the immobilization shield of this invention provides a device which may be utilized by enforcement personnel to immobilize and control unruly or violent individuals in an efifective and humane manner, while providing a desirable level of bodily protection for the user. The transparent shield provides full viewing by the user of the movement of the person to be controlled and he can see missiles and dangerous actions 'which may be directed at him. It is light-weight and highly mobile, thereby providing the maximum elfectiveness for its intended purposes. The immobilization shield of this invention is durable in construction, economical to manufacture,

transparent, substantially free from optical distortion and easy to maintain.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. An immobilization shield for use by an individual comprising: a substantially transparent member of relatively high impact resistant synthetic plastic material and having a non-rectilinear transverse cross section with one surface defining a hollow with a width of at least about 20 inches and dimensioned to span the torso of a person to be immobilized, and a pair of transversely spaced hand grips provided on the opposite surface of said transparent member for facile manipulation and positioning of said shield.

2. The immobilization shield of claim 1 wherein said non-rectilinear transverse cross-section is concave convex with said one surface being the concave surface.

3. The immobilization shield of claim 1 wherein said synthetic plastic material is polycarbonate.

4. The immobilization shield of claim 1 wherein the length of said transparent member is greater than the transverse dimension.

5. An immobilization shield for use by an individual comprising: a substantially transparent member of relatively high impact-resistant synthetic plastic sheet material, said member having a generally concave-convex transverse cross section with a concave outer surface providing a hollow dimensioned to span the torso of a person to be immobilized, said transparent member being greater in the length dimension than in the transverse dimension, and a pair of transversely-spaced rigid hand grips provided on the convex inner surface of said member for facile manipulation and positioning of said shield.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,256,880 6/1966 Caypinar 128-133 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 2-2; 128--l32 

